High School Blues
by United Profilers
Summary: Spencer Reid is a young resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. He is an intelligent child with great capabilities and much potential. However, he learns the hard way that being a genius in high school is in no way a good thing.
1. A Fish Out of Water

**I do not own Criminal Minds.**

He was both nervous and excited, to think he was going to high school already, while kids his age would normally be in 6th or 7th grade right now. He was excited because everyone of his teachers before had complimented him, how he had so much potential thanks to his high intelligence, he could do almost anything he wanted for a career, well anything that wasn't too physical at least. He remembered when his father used to be around, he enrolled him into some sports, of course, he wasn't very good at any of them, due to his lack of coordinance. Sometimes, he felt that he was the reason his father left, disappointed that his son was a genius apposed to some kid with regular intelligence who could bounce a basketball without missing. Deep down, he knew it was because of his sick mother, which he was left to care for on his own. This was one time he was thankful for knowing so much, otherwise he probably wouldn't have been able to tend to his mother any better than his father could, but he most certainly wouldn't walk out on her.

Taking a deep breath in hopes of calming his nerves, he entered the building, immediately feeling out of place. Kids towered over him, some of the more muscular ones made him look like a mere toothpick. He swallowed nervously and walked on, trying not to look at anybody in the eye. He could feel dozens of stares sent his way, he even heard one say "What's that kid doing here?" He couldn't help that he knew so much, he was born that way, as all geniuses typically are. It's not often that someone can actually raise their IQ to 'genius' level _after_ being brought into the world. He also couldn't shove away the urge to run facts and statistics through his head about bullying in school, he didn't want to think about that, but he ended up doing so anyway. Hopefully things will go smoothly and he can get out of here without too much trauma.

He noticed a young woman, who was staring at him just like everyone else in the hall, she had dark brown long hair, next to her was someone he assumed played sports, considering the muscles in his arms, his hair was short and blonde. Exhaling silently, he wished they would all stop staring already, he gets it; He's an outcast compared to them, they didn't need to rub it in, even if none of them had barely spoken a word.

The bell rang, the hallways became bustling again, much to his relief. _Saved by the bell. _He thought as he approached a door to the principal's office.

**(Spencer Reid!)**

He shifted uncontrollably when all eyes fell onto him once more when he entered his class room, the teacher introduced him as "Spencer Reid, who is a genius, so I recommend the rest of you work hard if you want to keep up with him." She joked. Spencer inwardly cringed, he wished she hadn't done the introduction like that, he was here to eventually graduate and move on with his life, not make enemies.

He clutched onto his things as he made his way to a vacant desk while avoiding eye contact, he sat down as the class begun.

This was when his life really turned to hell.

**To be continued...**


	2. First Day

**I apologize for it being so short at the start, I just didn't want to put too much too soon.**

As he expected, he got every answer right for any questions directed to him. He tried his best not to be fazed by the stares occasionally sent his way from the other students. Lunch time came around, Spencer looked around the cafeteria, every table had at least two people at it. Deciding to go for the one that was the most secluded, he cautiously sat down, far away from the two young men on the other side.

He felt something make contact with his head, it didn't hurt, but it startled him. He dared to look back and saw that short hair blonde from earlier, the obvious culprit, as he was laughing with what Spencer guessed were his friends. Swallowing, Spencer turned around back to his food, only for a small milk carton, still half full, collided into the back of his head, it's contents spilled all over the back of his clothes, and worst of all, his hair.

Laughter filled the large room, Spencer tried not to react to the older kids' cruelty. What a lovely first day this is. He finished his lunch quickly, then departed for the restrooms to wash up as best he could. He didn't have a change of clothes, so he would have to wear his soiled ones for the rest of the day.

He now sat rather uncomfortably at his desk, shifting every so often so that his wet, cold shirt wouldn't press against his back too much. He was also aware of the amused look some of his classmates had.

The day was over, Spencer was very relieved. He just wanted to get home and for this day to be over. He went to his locker, grabbing some books he had put in there earlier so he could read through them when he got home, which wasn't much of a task for him, he had something called an eidetic memory, while he knew there was lacking evidence to support the existence of such a thing, that's what it was commonly known as. Combined with his high IQ of 187, he also possessed the ability to read 20,000 words per minute. Even though the average eye can't technically scan that fast, having a strong memory allowed him to barely look at a word to remember it to it's entirety, along with what came before and after it.

One of his flaws however was that he was nearsighted, though that wasn't something glasses couldn't fix, he didn't always like wearing them, but not being able to see properly was way worse. He'd always had problems when it came to self confidence, despite the reassurance people gave him after they learned he was a genius. In addition, he was self-conscious, yet he never really bothered with his appearance, such as his hair, or even do so much as to get it cut. He washed it well when he bathed, that was it. He never saw the point of styling or grooming it, though nobody had yet to remark anything about his shoulder length locks. His choice of fashion was also something he tried not to think about too much, he typically stuck with either button down dress shirts, sometimes with a vest, or fully buttoned polos. He almost always wore slacks.

It was no surprise that all these kids at the high school likely saw him as a nerd, or some weakling that was an easy target for bullying. Spencer could only hope that he could get out of here soon enough, only he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do for a living. There were so many choices for a person like him, this only made choosing harder.

A teacher was an option, but with what he felt he was going to experience during his time in high school, he didn't really want to consider that. Then again, he wouldn't have to be a school teacher, he could be one for more professional classes, where bullying would be a rarity, or maybe a professor of some sort, a scientist perhaps? Or maybe even a librarian. He loves books, what better job could he do then one that involves a sort of passion of his? So many choices. He was still young though, he had plenty of time to decide.

Maybe too much time. Before he knew it, a group of teenagers surrounded him, Spencer could tell right away that he was in deep trouble, he could run semi fast, but he knew he couldn't outrun any of them, plus, he had no way to escape in the first place. Hesitantly, he looked up, the four older boys' faces did not require words, those horrible smirks were demeaning enough. Spencer gasped when he was lifted up by the front of his shirt, his eyes wide with fear, he glanced down at where his legs and feet dangled, they were just at the right angle to kick the young man where it really hurt, but with three others by his side, he would practically be signing his death wish, that is if not acting out at all hadn't already.

"Looks like we got ourselves the freak, boys." The one holding him taunted. The three merely chuckled.

Spencer gulped. "Please, I don't want any trouble. Just put me down, please?"

"Sure." He grinned. "I'll put you down alright." Spencer almost felt relieved when he was lowered to the ground, only to be roughly pushed backwards. He was expecting his head to smack into his locker door, only for a good amount of darkness to engulf most of him, it was then he realized what was going on. One of the other boys had opened the door so he would fall in it. Another one grabbed his ankles and carelessly shoved them inside so they could shut the door.

"No!" Spencer cried. "Please, don't lock me in here!" His pleas fell to deaf ears and cruel laughs as the door slammed shut, only the narrow, horizontal slits allowed any light to enter, it wasn't much though. His breathing became rapid, the dark was one of his single biggest fears, not that any of those teenagers that had just trapped him in here cared. He also didn't like tight spaces, and his locker certainly wasn't very large, only big enough for someone of his size to be forced into. It took a few hours before he managed to catch the attention of a janitor, who was able to free him finally.

The janitor took note of the boy's youth compared to the other kids, while he was aware of the arrival of young genius, he felt pity for the boy, but he wasn't the least bit surprised that he became a huge target on his first day. He suggested that Spencer report it to the principal, but Spencer knew better. Tattling would only bring more trouble to him, and he didn't want anymore than he has now.

Thanking the man, he gathered his things and hurried home, hoping that his mother wasn't having an episode with nobody to supervise her.

**To be continued...**


	3. Here I Go Again

**Thank you for the reviews.**

**I had toyed with this idea for only a couple hours until I decided to make it into a story. I have big expectations for the end (when it comes), and I hope you'll enjoy it until then. :P**

Having missed the last bus thanks to those jerks, Spencer had to hurry home on foot, carrying all his stuff he brought with him. Perhaps he should invest in something to carry his things in. He looked around as he made his way around the streets, it was dusky, and there were very few streetlights. Great, first he had to spend a while in the dark at school, and now he has to walk home in the dark, oh how he hated the dark.

A crashing sound made him jump slightly, it came from an alleyway just off to the right. Now, Spencer was afraid to walk by, just in case someone might be waiting there to grab him. Gulping, he took careful steps until he reached the corner, peeking around, he saw a knocked over trash can and a stray orange cat. Sighing with relief, he continued, feeling a little ridiculous for being so paranoid.

He finally reached his street. Walking by a fence, a dog suddenly came up and started barking real loudly. Spencer, once again, nearly jumped out of his own skin. When he realized that it was just a dog, safely separated from him thanks to the fence, he started on his way again. It didn't surprise him too much, for one, it was late and the dog was probably suspicious. Two, he's always had some effect on animals to the point where they don't like him. He never truly understood that.

Spencer walked up to his suburban home, noticing that a couple lights were on, meaning his mother was up and that she was probably lucid and not having an episode. This was good, as Spencer has dealt with enough today, the last thing he really wanted to do now, even though he had to, was to tend to his sick mother when she needed anything, or by simply just getting her to eat or take her medication.

He entered the house, his mother was on the sofa, TV was off, but she was reading a book. She seemed too engrossed to notice him come in. He frowned, not knowing how long she'd been there, somebody else could have entered the house and stolen something without her knowing it. He stepped into the room, then she finally drew her attention away from her book to see her son.

"Spencer." She spoke with concern. "Why were you so late, baby? Did something happen?"

"Just got held up for a while. That's all." He replied, feeling uncomfortable as the now crusty back of his shirt rubbed against him.

"How was your first day?"

He would have done a facepalm had his hands not been full of his belongings. He should've anticipated being asked that question, but what was he to tell her? Oh, I got stared at by everyone, had food thrown at me, and got shoved into a locker for a few hours?

"It was fine." He lied.

"That's good to know." She smiled before turning back to her book. Diana Reid was his mother's name, she currently suffers from what Spencer soon learned was paranoid schizophrenia, he's taken her to the doctor a few times before, Diana has been prescribed some medicine, which at times Spencer had to almost force her to take, which was hard on him emotionally, and sometimes physically.

Not even feeling like eating, he trudged upstairs to drop his things off, and probably just go to bed, but not before he brushed his teeth and told his mother goodnight.

Afterward, he changed into some pajamas and laid down on his bed, pulling the covers over himself. As he lay there, he recalled the days events, and he couldn't help but feel that it will only get worse.

And tomorrow was only his second day.

**(Spencer Reid!)**

He walked up to the school, already afraid of what he might encounter. He planned to simply head straight to his classroom and not talk to anybody who wasn't an adult, or someone who could easily knock him out with one punch, which was pretty much most of the boys he saw. Ignoring the fresh bombardment of stares, he quickly walked on, rounding a corner, the door which lead to his destination was straight ahead, that is until one of the young men from yesterday stepped in front of him.

Spencer stopped in his tracks, looking up, the taller boy had displeased look on his face, but there were other people around, so if he tried to anything that would be painful, Spencer could only hope someone would intervene.

Instead, the bigger of the two glared daggers at the noticeably shaking boy, he spoke in a voice filled with hate and detest.

"Someone tattled on me and my friends yesterday, and I'd like to know who it was." He snarled, Spencer eyes widened, he didn't say anything to anybody, unlesss...

"It wouldn't be you, would it?" A horrible grin appeared on his face. "Since you're such a genius, you should know what happens to geniuses who tattle." He flashed his teeth, as he cracked his knuckles.

"No, I swear I didn't say a word." Spencer begged. He was telling the truth, but he didn't expect the teenager to believe him.

"Good." He growled in a low, dangerous tone. "'Cause when we find out who told on us, someone's gonna pay, and I mean real bad." He walked around the now trembling boy. Spencer was having trouble getting his legs to move at that point, he knew for a fact that he didn't tell anyone, but who did?

_Of course. _The janitor from last night, he must've said something, which explains that 'conversation' he just had a minute ago. Thanks to his actions, it would now cost Spencer his head, but not as long as those boys don't figure out who it was.

The bell rang, it finally got his feet to move. He went inside, seeing only a few other students having arrived before him. Once again, he took a seat toward the back and waited for the day to progress.

How much worse could it get?

Spencer was already dreading when lunch time came, and it was only his second day. Carrying his tray of food, he headed to one of the more secluded tables again, but his shoe landed on a piece of bubble gum, shaking his foot free, he resumed his walk until he made contact with something yellow and slippery on the floor, and before he knew it, he was sent flying backwards, landing hard on his back, food covered his face and clothes.

A banana peel carelessly tossed, or perhaps conveniently planted on the ground, the familiar sound of laughter filled the cafeteria, along with jeers, taunts and plain mean insults. He removed his glasses, wiping them clean with his dirty shirt. He then tried his best to wipe off his face, it wasn't easy when his sleeves were already covered with the same stuff.

Holding back tears, he got up and ran out, intending to reach the bathroom to wash up yet again. Tomorrow, he would be sure to bring a clean change of clothes.

He exited the facilities, the laughter in the cafeteria calmed down, but there was no way he was going back in there. He decided to go right back to the classroom and read a book while he waited, at least there he'd have some peace.

By the time the bell rang and the rooms all began to fill up, he was halfway through his second book. Classes resumed and the day went on. This time, he would avoid the lockers altogether and head straight out the doors when it was time to leave.

He gathered his stuff, which he decided to all keep with him from now on, rather than put it in his now empty locker and risk getting stuffed in it again. He was almost out, the doors with a green lit sign above it that read 'EXIT' just a few meters away, then a voice called him, it was female sounding.

"Hey, smarty pants!" He spun around and saw two young women, they flashed cheerful smiles at him, but he didn't want anything to do with them, he just wanted to leave and get home. But he also didn't want to seem rude, so he stood his ground to see what they wanted.

That was a mistake on his part, had he just continued on his way, he wouldn't have been grabbed by the arms, dropping stuff everywhere, and dragged down an empty hall. When they finally let him go, he snatched his things still on the floor, ran outside, not bothering to get in any of the waiting buses. He didn't want to have to sit near any of those older kids the whole ride home, however long it would take regarding additional stops beforehand. It was still daylight this time, he would be home much sooner than he was yesterday. Plus, he didn't really want anybody to know where he lived and find out about his sick mother, and end up in foster care, or worse yet, an orphanage.

Once he reached his front step, he angrily ripped the pink ponytail holder off of his hair and threw it on the ground. He sighed and shook his head, allowing his locks to reform back to their more carefree state.

He twisted the doorknob, only for it not to budge at all. He tried once more with no avail. It was then he saw the place was dark, very much the opposite of yesterday. He retrieved his key from his pocket and unlocked the door, slipping it back in before he stepped inside.

The house was a mess, items were knocked over and around various spots, others were on their side or upside down. Some were even broken.

His mother was having an episode, he could tell this much. But where was she?

Using his foot, he closed the door and headed for the stairs, a trail of clothes littered the steps. He went to his own room first to deposit his stuff, then he went over to where Diana's room was, the door was shut.

"Mom?" He asked carefully as he slowly opened the door. His mother was huddled in a corner on the floor, a blanket off of her bed wrapped around her as she rocked back and forth.

"Close the door Spencer." She spoke in a hushed voice. Her son did as he was told.

"Mom, what's the matter?"

Her eyes shifted around suspiciously. "The government is trying to watch us."

Spencer sighed, preparing himself for yet another event of the day. "You didn't take your medication, did you?"

**To be continued...**


	4. You Got a Friend In Me

**I really don't know what to say, your reviews are really helping me out right now, knowing that I'm doing a good job and all. :P**

Saturday, sunny, warm, and dry. Spencer sat alone on the sidewalk, he'd gotten his mother to eat lunch and take her meds before she laid down for a nap. He was bored, he already finished his homework, he'd read all of his books, and he didn't want to disturb Diana by watching TV.

In addition to being bored, he was a little lonely. His mother provided good company when she was lucid, and though it was difficult when she wasn't, he still loved her and was there to care for her. Of course, he hadn't a single friend, and by now he wasn't expecting to make any while he was in high school. With his elbows on his knees, and his chin on his palms, he sighed, staring off into the rather empty street.

Then he noticed another boy across the street, he looked to be a little older than him, he had shaggy, blonde hair, a green t-shirt and blue jeans. The boy seemed to become aware that he was being watched, carrying a baseball and glove, he made his way across the road and over to the young genius.

"Howdy, neighbor." He greeted.

"Hello." Spencer replied shyly, looking up to face him.

"I'm Jeff."

"Spencer."

"Nice to meet you." Jeff held out his right hand, Spencer swallowed and took it in his own and shook.

"It's nice to meet you too."

"You look like you're having fun." The blonde pointed out.

"Yeah, you could tell." Spencer said miserably, looking down at the sun baked pavement.

"Wanna play some catch?"

He looked up at the boy in surprise, he'd love to play, but his lack coordination would make him a terrible catcher. But at the same time, he didn't want to turn down the offer and risk losing a potential friend.

"Sure, only I don't have a glove." He said.

"No problem," Jeff shrugged. "I have a spare you can borrow."

"Okay, thank you." Spencer flashed a small smile as he stood up and followed him over to his front yard, he wasn't used to this sort of kindness from older kids, but Jeff wasn't quite the age of the ones at high school, so far though, he wasn't aware that Spencer was a genius, so that could be a possible factor.

Jeff ran into his house to retrieve the extra glove, he returned shortly and handed it to Spencer, who put it on awkwardly. The older boy went and stood a few meters away, before he held the ball in his hand and tossed. Spencer held up his glove, the baseball made contact, but not where he intended it to, it bounced a couple times on the grass before he ran over to pick it up. He drew his arm back and threw, it didn't go very far, Jeff had to take a couple steps forward to catch the ball, but he caught it nonetheless without flaw. He tossed it again, this time a little easier, only for Spencer to miss it completely.

"Not much of a catcher, are you?" Jeff asked.

"Sorry, I don't play that much." Spencer said sheepishly as he threw the ball a second time, Jeff caught it again, but he didn't throw it back.

"That's cool then, we could do something else."

He was taken aback. "Really?"

"Sure, I'm pretty bored myself and I don't have anything to. And if I told my parents that, they would make me clean up or something."

Spencer chuckled, knowing how true that could be, though personally he's never experienced something like that. Since his father left, he's not only had to keep the house semi clean, especially since the other day when he came home to his mother having an episode, but he had to keep up with other maintenance, as well as pay for the bills and buy groceries. It was then at that point he couldn't be more thankful for his intelligence and eidetic memory.

"So, what you want to do?" Jeff asked.

"I don't know." Spencer spoke honestly.

"You really don't play that much, do you?"

He shrugged, Jeff put a hand to his chin in deep thought. "Oh! Wanna play Super Mario Brothers?"

"Sure, but what about your parents?"

"They won't mind, and besides, they won't make me do any work either if they know I have a friend over."

To be called a friend was something all new to Spencer, he couldn't remember having a single friend before in his life. Like with animals, he always seemed to have that sort of effect on smaller children where they don't like him either, not to mention those older kids at high school.

Spencer followed Jeff up to his house and inside, he didn't fully understand what the older boy meant by having to clean up, the house didn't look the least bit dirty or messy.

"Mom?" Jeff called. "Is it okay if I bring friend over?"

"Jeff, what have I told you about girlfriends?" A woman's voice called back, Spencer was confused, but the blonde noticeably turned red.

"Not that kind of friend, mom! You know what I'm talking about!"

The woman then laughed. "I'm just kidding, sweetie, of course you can." As they headed for the TV, Spencer failed to hold back a smile while Jeff muttered something to himself. The older boy turned on the the TV and the game console resting below. He changed the channel then plugged in a second controller.

The screen changed into a more colorful view, a blue sky with white clouds, a large red logo with lighter red letters that read "Super Mario Bros.", a red brick ground with light and dark green vegetation, and a small, red and brown character standing by the left of the screen.

"Do you want to play Mario or Luigi?" Jeff asked as he sat down on the carpet.

"It doesn't matter." Spencer shrugged, following suit.

"I'll go first then." He handed the younger boy a controller as he kept the first one. He moved the cursor to "2 Player" and started his turn. He held and tapped on buttons, moving his character around the level, jumping over strange creatures and crushing them, hitting beneath floating blocks and grabbing coins and a mushroom that somehow possessed the ability to move on it's own. After passing the fourth green pipe, he jumped up and hit some block that just appeared out of nowhere, he grabbed the object that came out, it gave him an extra life, right after that, he accidentally slipped off the cliff.

"Shoot." He said as the short silly tune began to play. The screen then changed, indicating it was the second player's turn.

As he started, Spencer couldn't help but say; "Did you know Mario's name was originally 'Jumpman' from the Donkey Kong arcade game? The character was named after Mario Sengal, the landlord for Nintendo of America in Redmond, Washington State."

Jeff turned to him. "Are you like a genius or something?"

He gulped, how was he to explain? He could just lie and let it drop, but that wouldn't be right, not when he just found someone to call a friend, but that could be lost instantly if he told the truth.

With a shaky breath, he spoke. "Y-yeah, um, I am actually." A brief silence followed.

"Cool! I've never met a genius before." That was the last response Spencer had expected.

"Less than 1% of the world's population are geniuses."

"You're like a rare breed then."

"I also have an eidetic memory, so I remember almost everything. Almost."

"I'll bet it must be awesome to be super smart." Jeff said, his voice full of interest.

He sighed. "Not when you're in high school."

"Wow, you're in high school already? What's it like?"

"Unless you're not a genius, you get judged before you get to know people, you get made fun of, thrown in lockers..."

"Yikes, that's harsh."

"You should be fine when you go to high school though, you won't be viewed as a freak like me."

Jeff shrugged. "I never thought you were freak, not even now. Sure, you're hair is kinda long, but what's the big deal?"

Was this what it's like to have an actual friend? Maybe that's why he felt a little warm inside, and not just because of the hot Nevada summer. Soon he couldn't stop smiling, his loneliness has been long forgotten, or at least pushed in the way of his mind.

A short while passed before Jeff smirked. "Well, you gonna play your turn dude, or what?

Resuming the game, Spencer stuck out his tongue in concentration as he maneuvered his character around the level, within about a minute or so, he got to the end. It was only around 10 minutes later, without dying even once, he got to the very last level, with his character fully powered up, he showed no mercy to the large green reptile like thing on the bridge as he threw fireballs at it. The creature spit fire and threw hammers, but he managed to dodge all of the attacks. After a few seconds, his efforts paid off, the green thing fell upside down off the bridge and into the lava, he was also rewarded 5000 points. He moved his character on the flashing ax, the object disappeared and then his character stood in front of a redheaded princess, who gave the message that he beat the game.

"I didn't know you could kill Bowser with fire." Jeff thought aloud. "And I've never beaten the game before. You really are a genius."

"Thanks." Spencer chuckled.

"Wanna play Sonic The Hedgehog 2 next?"

"I actually need to check on my mom." He admitted. "She's taking a nap and... I don't want her to fall out of bed." He finished hesitantly.

"Your loss then." The blonde went to switch the console and games around as Spencer exited the room.

"Bye Jeff."

"See you later, Spencer."

'See you later'... Jeff must be anticipating they meet again sometime, this made Spencer feel even better as he left the house and closed the door, stepping into the bright, hot day. He hoped his mother was alright and that she hadn't gotten into any possible trouble while he was gone. But to think that he actually made a friend today helped ease any of his worries for the time being.

He entered his house and was surprised to see his mother awake in the kitchen, she appeared to be baking. She must be calm right now, otherwise the house would've been trashed.

"Oh, there you are Spencer." Diana smiled. "Where were you?"

"I made a friend today." He explained.

"How wonderful! Who?"

"His name's Jeff."

"So, what did you and this 'Jeff' do?" She turned around and continued stirring something.

"We played catch, well, we tried to. I wasn't very good at it." Spencer said. "Then we played some video games."

"Oh, Spencer, I'm glad you're making friends. It's good to socialize." Diana pulled out a cookie sheet. "The kids in high school must enjoy having you around."

Spencer swallowed and looked away, but his mother didn't notice, or hear him mumble.

"Yeah, if only you knew."

**(Spencer Reid!)**

Sunday had come, Spencer went to the library to pick out some new books to read. After he returned home, he was in the middle of his fourth when the phone rang. He picked it up and found out that it was Diana's doctor calling. He told the young genius that his mother should get more exercise today. Spencer frowned when he realized how late it had already gotten, 2:27 PM. He told the man he would see what he could do, but he wasn't sure how successful he would be.

He went to her bedroom, opening the door. This would be the second day in a row she hasn't really had an episode, not that he was complaining, but she didn't seem to acknowledge him even enter her room. She was covered on her bed, despite it being 89 degrees Fahrenheit outside. He opened the closed blinds, flooding the room with sunshine.

"Mom?" He spoke.

"What is it baby?" Diana mumbled.

"It's the afternoon." Spencer stated.

"I'm resting."

"The doctor says you need to get out of bed."

"I've been reading." She gestured to the book in her hand.

"He says you need exercise." Spencer was determined to ensure his mother followed the doctor's orders.

Diana sighed. "That's because his idea of good literature is 'our bodies, ourselves.'"

"Well, he's your doctor." He folded his arms.

"He's a neanderthal." She dropped her head back on the pillow. Giving up, Spencer proceeded to leave the room. "Where are you going?" She asked her son.

"I'm gonna see if Jeff wants to play." He replied.

"Come here," She said softly. "Let me read to you." She patted on the vacant side of the bed. "Up, up." Eager for some quality time, Spencer hopped onto the bed and sat down next to his mother. Diana shifted herself more upright. "Pick one." She said, regarding the pile of books on the blankets.

"Mmm..." Spencer shifted through them quickly before making his decision. "That one." He tapped on a book with a darker blue cover.

"Good choice, beautiful choice." Enjoying what he doesn't usually get to experience very often anymore, he listened to his mother as she opened the book and began to read.

Right now, the last thing he wanted to think about was when he had to go back to high school for the week as tomorrow is Monday, who knows what awaits him then?

**To be continued...**


	5. Pickin' On the Weaker Man

**Thank you for the reviews, and sorry for the wait.**

Spencer flung his newly bought backpack over his shoulder and left his house. He tried to plan out the day, or at least hope it would go the way he wished it to. He would go straight to class, ignore _anyone _who tried to speak with him, skip lunch and hang out in the classroom to read the books he brought with him. Afterward, he would leave the school as soon as possible. As long as he didn't get stopped by that blonde teen again.

He eventually arrived at the high school, he took a deep breath before entering, as he was expecting for the usual treatment of getting stared at by everyone. He noticed that the odd stares had died down, but many had been replaced by unnerving smirks or grins. His eidetic memory helped him recognize a lot of the older kids from the cafeteria, along with the girls from the other day who had forced a ponytail onto his hair.

Gazing toward the floor, he hurried to his classroom, doing his best to ignore the taunts and jeers thrown his way, including the book that collided into the back of his head. He dared to look back to see a dark haired young man throw another book in his direction, it would have hit his back, but thankfully his new backpack shielded the assault. Increasing his pace, he reached the classroom without further issue, as always, he took one of the desks in the back.

Only two other students were here before him, they were talking about something he didn't care to listen to. He pulled out a book and waited for everything to begin.

When their teacher was too occupied, he could hear a couple teens snickering about something, but from what he could tell, it was about him. Eventually the bell rang, indicating it was lunch time. He made no bother to get up from his desk unlike the rest of the class. He sighed with relief, now that the room was empty and he had it all to himself. He pulled out another book and began to read.

He soon realized he needed to use the bathroom, but was reluctant to go out where he could possibly endure more bullying, but since it was lunch, everyone would be in the cafeteria, so he should be safe. He put his book away in his backpack and hopped off his chair and exited the classroom. The halls were seemingly empty, not that he was complaining. He rushed to the bathrooms and opened the door.

Of course, there were other people in here, none of which were adults. To make matters worse, one of them was that blonde teen from the other day, he was talking with some taller, darker haired boy. They stopped what they were doing when they saw who had just entered.

"Well, look who we have here." He smirked. Spencer bit his bottom lip, had they not the decency to at least let him use the restroom without hassle? He tried to ignore the two older boys and proceeded for one of the stalls. He nearly had it closed before it was suddenly slammed open, causing Spencer to jump. He spun around to see the blonde, his hand against the door, holding it open, he had an evil grin on his face. Something was going to happen to him, and Spencer knew he wasn't going to like it.

He was grabbed by the shoulders and roughly spun back around where he was facing the toilet he had planned on using, the dark haired teen ran in with his finger on the flusher, Spencer's eyes widened when he realized what they were going to do as he was pushed closer and closer.

"No! Please, don't do this!" He begged, but he knew very well it wouldn't help. He struggled, but the blonde's grip was too strong, Spencer knew he would never stand a chance against him in a fight, not to mention two of them.

He clenched his eyes shut then took a deep breath and held it before his head was forced into the toilet bowl, he felt the water rushing around as the one teen activated the flush. He could hear them laughing their heads off, even while underneath the water. The toilet's process of flushing had finished, and the blonde finally pulled him up, Spencer sputtered, keeping his face down so that no water would drip into his mouth. He was pulled back further before being carelessly shoved, causing him to fall flat on the floor. The two teens were still laughing by the time they departed the bathroom.

Spencer whimpered and slowly got up to his feet. He quickly attempted to dry his face with his sleeve, then he went to the sink and washed his face with hot water and soap. The water's high temperature burned, but he had to make sure he rid his face of any germs. He wiped his face dry with paper towels, then was about to leave the restroom when he felt something odd, warm, and wet. He looked down at his pants and saw that the crotch area was wet, undoubtedly with urine.

Those jerks just made him pee his pants.

Groaning, Spencer was thankful he had packed a clean change of clothes this time, but they were back in the classroom. He peeked out of the bathroom, seeing the hall still empty, and hearing the loud commotion coming from the cafeteria, he quickly, yet awkwardly ran to his destination, he got there without a single encounter. He reached his backpack still at his desk and pulled out a clean shirt and a pair of pants... but he didn't have a dry pair of undergarments. He nearly did a facepalm. Holding onto what he had for dear life, he left the classroom and hurried back to the bathroom to change. Not wanting to wear his soiled underpants the rest of the day he added them to his pile of now dirty clothes, only his spare pair of pants and shirt provided him any coverage and privacy. He returned to his desk and stuffed his filthy clothes in his backpack, it would likely smell bad later, but nobody needed to know what just happened to him.

By the end of the day when the bell rang, Spencer was the first to leave after he snatched his backpack, he just wanted to get out of those doors and get home, but apparently, some other kids had different plans. He was grabbed from behind, Spencer looked back and saw a notably muscular teen holding him. He gulped, but as too afraid to speak.

"Hello, punching bag." He sneered.

'Punching bag'? Oh, this can't be good. Sure enough, a fist slammed into his face, he fell back onto the floor and held a hand over his left eye, he could tell he now had a black eye. As he laid there, a foot was sent flying right where it hurts. He emitted a groan while the strong teen merely scoffed and walked away.

"Oh." Spencer moaned as he sat up, it took a lot of effort just to get up on his feet, but he managed, just barely. Other kids simply mocked or laughed at his dismay. Sighing, he slowly made his way out of the building, hoping to God his mother wasn't having episode. Then again, if she was lucid, she would question his black eye, and he couldn't have her or any adult finding out about this, it would only bring him more trouble later.

Thanks to his pain, it took him a while to walk home. He entered the house and saw Diana on the couch, she appeared to napping, which made Spencer glad, she wouldn't see the obvious evidence of what happened to him earlier. The first thing he did was deposit his dirty clothes into the washing machine, then he went upstairs to take a shower.

**(Spencer Reid!)**

Time went by, as did the usual routines that soon became all too familiar to Spencer, being teased or picked on, having something humiliating happen to him, despite his efforts to avoid it, taking care of his mother when she was having an episode, or the few times he was so exhuasted from school that he left her to be until she fell asleep herself. He played with Jeff whenever the chance came, as he was still his only friend to this day, Spencer couldn't wait when he graduated and left all that torture those older kids inflicted on him, why must they do what they do? Were they jealous because of his intelligence? Did they feel threatened because of his potential that they would never achieve? Did they simply not like him as a person?

It's not like he could help that he was who he was, but a concept like that would never be accepted. All he wanted to do was get high school over with and away from all those teens. Spencer still wasn't sure on what he would do for a living, because of the experience he's had so far with high school, he doesn't want a job that involves anything to do with school. But what else could he do? To think that he could do much thanks to his high IQ, yet he can't decide what.

He remembered reading a newspaper once about this team of people who work for the FBI, something called the Behavioral Analysis Unit, they capture criminals by thinking like them and predicting their next move in order to catch them. As interesting as it sounded, Spencer knew it was silly to even think he could do a job like that. He was physically incapable, he couldn't imagine having to hold a gun, or even use it. But to actually help people for a living seemed like a good idea, but he knew it was all wishful thinking. To think he would ever land a job there was laughable.

Even though his intelligence would prove useful, he figured he would probably be working at some lab or something by the time he's old enough to get a job. And yet, he began to read about profiling and criminal justice whenever he got the opportunity. Another good thing for having an eidetic memory.

Some time later, he learned that the high school he goes to has a library.

**To be continued...**


	6. Something To Be Proud Of

**Thank you for reviewing and being patient.**

Spencer couldn't have been happier now that he had a safe refuge, since almost nobody else went to the library, and it was large and had plenty of books to read. He was perfectly safe here. Now, he's just skipping lunch entirely, while in his genius mind he knew it wasn't healthy to skip meals, he couldn't stand being humiliated anymore from the older students. Right now, he'd found a section on the subject of criminal justice, though books on profiling were a little scarce, he did manage to find a couple.

For once he could let his guard down at the school, the librarian didn't tolerate the ruckus the teens usually cause, thus he provided additional protection, though he wasn't aware of what the younger boy had been through so far, and Spencer would rather it stay that way.

He heard the bell ring, which meant the better part of the day was over. He quickly put the books back from the exact spot he found them and left the library. He hurried down the halls to his classroom, thankfully all the kids were in a rush, so none of them bothered to pick on him.

He felt relief once he made it without any problems or 'interruptions', even though he was around a majority of the kids that bullied him, none of them would dare try while the teacher was present.

Spencer watched the clock hanging up on the wall with anticipation, the minute hand was just behind the point where it would be 3:00 PM. Once the second hand finally ticked by and the bell rang, he grabbed his backpack and ran as fast as he could out of the classroom and to the halls, but unfortunately, he wasn't quick enough. The hall was already filled with several teens who he all remembered thanks to his eidetic memory, some of them sent evil looks his way as he approached, then he decided that he would have to wait before he could leave in order to avoid any confrontation.

And what better place than the library?

He jogged his way down a different hall to where the entrance to the library was at, he opened the doors and looked back once, seeing nobody in the semi vacant hall, he ducked inside and made sure the doors were closed.

Again, he was the only one in here besides the notably bored looking librarian, who barely acknowledged the boy. Spencer sighed with relief and went straight to where he left off, he retrieved the books he;d been reading earlier, the ones he hadn't finished as well as the ones he hadn't gotten around to reading yet.

An hour passed and he decided he would try to venture out now. He once again put the books in their original spots and exited the library, he peeked through the doors and saw the halls were not only quiet, but almost empty. Of course, none of older kids would bother sticking around now that they could go home, not even for a chance to pick on the 'freak' so it seemed. Spencer wasn't complaining though, he was amazed that he actually got through the day without getting teased, beat up, or humiliated in some awful way.

He left the school and stepped into the warm Las Vegas sun. As he walked home, he wondered how his mother was doing. He later reached his doorstep and entered, there were lights on, which was a good sign, he could smell something cooking in the kitchen, and there was Diana at the stove, making what appeared to be macaroni and cheese. She looked over at her son after he came inside, she smiled and turned her attention back to the pan of noodles and cheese.

"Hello, Spencer. How was your day?"

For once, Spencer could tell his mother that his day went fine and have it not be a lie, he avoided any bullying, and recently discovered his favorite thing about the school, the library. His stomach growled and it occurred to him how he's been skipping lunch, he hoped his mother wouldn't find out, thought it might be a little difficult to do so in the first place, he's always been on the thin side. That didn't help with that act that's he's in a school where everyone is not only older than him, but bigger and stronger too. And they use that to their advantage.

Sure he was smarter than them, way smarter, but words don't necessarily stop someone from using their physical strength against you, in fact, from what he's learned in high school, being more intelligent only makes you more desirable to being made a target.

Spencer and Diana ate dinner then sat down on the couch where she read him another book. Before he knew it, it was getting late, so he made sure his mother took her medication before going to bed.

As he lay in bed, he was thinking about profiling again, one thing he read about was that profilers can also make potentially great negotiators, because they get into the mind of the criminal they're trying to catch. He wondered if he could ever use it against that one blonde teen that always seems to have a score to settle with him. Maybe he would brush up on profiling and give it a shot. He turned on his lamp and went to grab one of the books he still had from the public library, he searched for a certain chapter before he began reading it.

**(Spencer Reid!)**

Spencer entered the school, by now he was unfazed by any weird stares sent his way. He'd grown used to them to the point where they don't bother him. He looked around, expecting to see that blonde again, whom he doesn't even know the name of now that he thought about it. He decided to slow down his pace a little, then he saw him up ahead, he was talking with a girl that Spencer couldn't help but notice, as he also recalled seeing her before. He walked by them casually when he heard the blonde laugh.

"That's the freak, Alexa." He smirked while pointed at Spencer.

"I know, I've seen him before." She shrugged.

The boy continued on, then he heard 'Alexa' laugh before saying "Oh, Brandon, your so funny."

_So, his name is Brandon. _Spencer thought as he entered the classroom and took a seat at a desk in the back.

When the lunch bell rang, he went about his new normal routine, heading straight for the library, he only got halfway when none other than Brandon stepped in front of him.

"Hey, shorty, skipping lunch again?" He grinned. "You shouldn't do that, you're already a toothpick, which I could easily break with two fingers."

Spencer had no doubt about that, but he knew the teen was just trying to set him up for more humiliation in the cafeteria.

"Hey, Brandon?" He asked, the blonde looked surprised that kid knew his name, but he recovered quickly. "I think I know why you choose to bully me." He said, trying to keep his voice calm, and at the same time, hoping he's choosing the right words.

"And so do I, because you're a freak who shouldn't be in this world, at least not without a black eye or two." Brandon sneered, balling a fist.

Spencer swallowed, yet stood his ground while doing his best to hide his fear as he studied the older boy. "No, it's because you feel insecure with yourself, but you don't openly show it around others, especially not around Alexa, your girlfriend. You joined the football team to prove your worth and that you are strong and not a weakling, as you have often viewed yourself before. You further influence this by portraying physically incapable people as the weak ones. You're not only trying to convince others this, but yourself as well." When the young genius finished, he continued to study the blonde, he could tell that he pushed a button, but the teen was only glaring daggers at him. He was expecting for a fist to come flying at him... but nothing came.

Standing up straighter, Brandon roughly pushed passed Spencer, nearly knocking him to the floor in the process. "You don't know a damn thing about me, nosy little punk!" Spencer stood, shocked as he watched the teen storm off, he was shaking his head and muttering to himself. Spencer waited for him to stop, turn around and charge him... but he didn't. He waited until the teen disappeared around a corner. Spencer made his way to the library, barely over his shock from what just happened.

He successfully profiled someone for the first time, and it saved his ass, this time anyway. He got to his destination, sat down at a table and read, feeling rather proud of himself.

**To be continued...**

**Also, I hope you're enjoying so far.**


	7. Deception

**Thank you for reviewing and tolerating the wait. :P**

**Issues with the site contributed to that though...**

He continued his normal routine of visiting the library whenever the chance came, by now he's read every book he could find on criminal justice and profiling, all the information stored in his eidetic memory. Just as he was about to engross himself into another book, he was startled by a female voice.

"Hello, Spencer." The young genius looked over and saw a redhead standing there, her long, straight strands were held within a ponytail holder behind her head, her hands were clasped together in front of her, and she smiled shyly. Spencer recalled seeing her on occasions, but he didn't know her name, which immediately made him suspicious because she knew his.

"Hi," He greeted cautiously. "Um..."

"Oh, sorry," She blushed faintly. "I'm Harper Hillman." Spencer nodded, indicating his acknowledgment. He didn't fully trust this young woman, in fact, he didn't really trust anyone at the high school, with the exception of the librarian who appeared to have fallen asleep, he was lying face down on his desk, snoring.

"Can I help you with something?" He asked carefully. He didn't like what he thought was his safe haven being intruded by someone he didn't trust, he always felt safe here because of the librarian's no-nonsense toward loud, obnoxious teenagers, but Harper wasn't necessarily doing anything of the sort, yet, and the man was asleep, unaware of what was even going on.

"You remember Alexa Lisbon, Brandon's girlfriend?"

"Yes..."

"Or should I say 'former girlfriend', she dumped him yesterday."

"Oh." Was Spencer's only reply.

"Yeah," Harper nodded. "She heard about what you said to him that day, and she realized that you were right, he is just a jerk who pretends to be strong." Spencer winced, Brandon was very likely going to make him suffer for this. "As a matter of fact, Alexa was hoping to meet you today."

Spencer looked away from his book, slightly shocked and a little skeptical, why would Alexa want to meet him of all people? Considering he was younger than her, and most certainly was not the physical type like most of the boys at the school. He couldn't tell if this was a trick, or if it was the actual truth, then again, Alexa Lisbon is undoubtedly the prettiest girl in school, and for her to want to see him, the school's 'freak' was quite a surprise. He began to weigh down his options, maybe if Alexa truly wanted to be with him, he'd get more respect from the other students, they wouldn't pick on him, call him names, or beat him up. They would treat him like they would any other human being, and that was something that Spencer didn't really want to pass up a chance on. It almost seemed too good to be true, and to reject the idea of Alexa wanting to meet with him might only receive him more ridicule.

Biting his lip once, he finally spoke. "Okay, I'll meet her."

Harper smiled widely. "Great! She's waiting for you behind the field house, that way you two can have some privacy." She winked.

"Alright, um... I don't know where the field house is." Spencer admitted sheepishly. It was true, he hadn't bothered to explore the entire school much, mostly because he was too afraid to while older teenage kids were roaming about.

"No problem, I'll take you there." She said, leading him out of the library with an arm around his bony shoulder. As they trekked down the schools halls, students snickered and whispered incoherently, which made Spencer's suspicions rise, he was half tempted to turn tail and run back to the library where he was at least safe. Harper sent an occasional glare at the other kids, as if telling them to keep quiet. Spencer was also nervous, if Alexa was indeed waiting for him. What should he do? What should he say? He wasn't used to speaking with girls, much less girls wishing to speak with him, he was a socially awkward genius, not necessarily a 'ladies man'. Maybe that's finally turning around though, perhaps he should just trust what little instinct he has and go with the flow. Now that it occurred to him that he recently gained a little skill in profiling, he felt a strange boost in confidence. They were nearing a set of doors that lead out back to the sports playing fields, he stood up straighter, pushed his glasses further up on his face, ran his palms over his long hair, then took a deep breath to calm his nerves and ease the butterflies in his stomach.

As they began around the field house he couldn't believe that someone as pretty as Alexa Lisbon wanted to meet him, aside from his nervousness, he was also excited, however, the profiler within him was screaming for him to stop right now, something wasn't right, but he chose to ignore it. After all, it doesn't to try, right?

Wrong. Boy, was he ever wrong. This was the wrongest he'd ever been in his entire life. Sure, Alexa was there standing in the football field... along with about a dozen teenage boys, one whom Spencer recognized instantly.

Brandon stood there with his arm around Alexa's shoulder, both smirking at the young genius. The other boys were laughing and sending taunts his way. Spencer was a little confused, he should've figured that Alexa didn't really want to be meet up with him alone, but why were all these other students here? Were they just spectating more humiliation on his part?

"You really think she wanted to see you?" Brandon laughed. Alexa just smiled as she was pulled closer to the blonde. Harper had moved over and stood next to the two, grinning from ear to ear. Spencer's jaw hung open slightly at the sight of all the teenagers, it puzzled him that this many people would come here just to watch him get embarrassed.

When the older kids began to advance upon him, he tensed and backed away, only for a few additional teens to appear and surround him. Spencer's breathing increased and he looked around, seeing that there was no way that he could get away without being grabbed. He gulped and wrapped his arms around his skinny frame, only increasing his vulnerable appearance. The betrayal in his eyes fazed no one, the look of horror and despair on his face moved no one, instead, the teens surrounding him started to approach him, Harper and Alexa were watching from the sidelines, looking rather amused.

He was grabbed by the ankles by one of the boys, who held them up, preventing him from being able to run away, not that he'd be able to free himself from the teen's grip to begin with. His glasses fell off his face, another bully appeared before him and ripped his shirt and vest clean off his body, buttons flying everywhere. His arms were held above his head and the boy holding his ankles dropped them and worked on pulling off his shoes, socks, and pants. Spencer's eyes widened and he immediately blushed when all that remained were his boxer shorts.

"Don't, please!" He begged, but it fell to deaf ears. It was then he realized that several other people had come, they were simply standing around and watching, pointing, taunting, laughing. None of them looked like they planned to help anytime soon, they'd rather spectate his total humiliation rather than spare him even just an ounce of dignity and mercy. His breathing became even more rapid when he felt hands on the waist band of his boxers, which were slid off his thin legs. He was completely naked. With a burst of adrenaline, Spencer struck out, the heel of his left foot made a direct hit into the eye of the teen who was now holding his shorts up like some sick trophy.

"Augh!" The boy drew back, holding a hand over his pained eyeball. "You little punk!" He shouted, lifting his foot up and slamming it down with all his might on Spencer's stomach. He coughed in response and regretted his actions, his adrenaline having completely drained from him. One of the other kids who appeared held up a rope, which Spencer only caught a short glance of before he was dragged over to a goal post, he realized what they were going to do, the fight having vacated his body, so he did the only thing he could.

"Please, don't do this!" Not a single response, at least not one that he hoped for. The crowd was getting bigger by the minute, it was as if the whole school was here, just watching. He was placed against the yellow pole, the rope came next. Spencer hung his head in utter defeat, his hair providing the only refuge he could get from the jeering kids, the rope was wrapped around his shaking arms and torso several times, his skinny limbs were pinned against his sides as the rope was pulled and tightened, it scratched against his bare skin. Now he couldn't even crouch down in an attempt to block all the kids' views from his private appendage. He begged for all it was worth, nobody came to his aid, nobody made a move to help him, to save him from this pure embarrassment. Not a single soul was willing to spare him. Laughter filled his ears, along with the bombardment of insults and occasional comments about his exposed body part.

"Somebody, please help me..." He finally broke down in harsh sobs, his cheeks were red and warm to the touch, tears slowly fell down his semi hidden face, most of his torso and arms concealed within the rope the held them together and against the goal post. The only thing that could be seen was-

"Ha! Look!" A young woman laughed, pointing at the bound young genius. Spencer made an attempt to get free from the ropes, but his lack of physical strength made it basically impossible.

Hours went by, the sun was just beginning to set, but the crowd had barely thinned, just before nightfall only a few kids remained. Finally, the last two were gone, he was alone and still tied to the post. He didn't know what time it was, and despite his current situation, he was worried about his mother, either she was also worried about him, or she wasn't even aware that he wasn't home. After some weak, yet relentless struggling, the ropes became loose enough that he was able to slip his arms free and finish freeing himself. He sluggishly gathered his clothing and put them on. His backpack was still in the school's library, but it was probably locked, and it would likely be fine until tomorrow, besides, he was far too tired to bother getting it anyway, he just wanted to get home and make sure his mother was okay. He picked up his glasses that thankfully made it through the whole ordeal unscathed and slipped them on before he began the journey home through the dark streets of Las Vegas, only the streetlights provided protection from the dark he feared so much.

He really hoped his mother was lucid, he was more than willing to receive a scolding for being out so late, in fact, he was even ready to open up to her about the horrible experiences he's dealt with since he first arrived at the high school, including the event that just happened today.

He approached his house, seeing the lights off, and with it being so late, he couldn't tell how his mother was, as she might have even gone to bed already considering what time it is. He unlocked the door and stepped inside, closing and relocking the door behind him. He went into the living room where he noticed the couch was turned over, Diana was hiding behind it, her met eyes with Spencer and stared suspiciously at him.

"Who are you, and how did you get in my house?" She asked in a hushed voice.

"Mom, it's me, Spencer, remember?" The boy said tiredly. "And it's my house too, I got in with a key."

"I don't have a son." She glared at him, her voice raised a little. "The government must have sent you to spy on me!"

Spencer sighed. "Mom, please, not now." He pleaded exasperatedly, even though he knew it wouldn't magically calm his mother down.

"Get away from me!"

Spencer knew she needed her medication, but he was beyond exhausted from today, that he felt that he didn't have the energy to try and force her to take it. He was so tired that he decided to leave his mother be and go to bed. She would eventually go to sleep herself, but the house will likely be a mess by morning, which he'll have to clean up. He trudged upstairs, ignoring Diana's accusations, some that were directed toward him, others that were directed to nobody in particular. He shivered as he undressed to change into pajamas, the scenario from earlier already fresh in his mind, which was only made worse when he slipped off his shirt and pants in order to change.

He laid down in bed, but was having trouble going to sleep, not because of the crashing that emitted from downstairs, but because his mind was wandering, although he tried not to, he began to think about every negative thing in his life that his eidetic memory could recover.

His father walked out on them when his wife was sick, who knows where he is now. Spencer has been taking care of his mother on his own for a few years, not that he minded, it could be quite demanding, especially when a bunch of teenagers decide to strip you naked and tie you to a goal post for the sole purpose of their amusement and your embarrassment. How could someone be so cruel to their fellow human beings? Spencer didn't understand it, it was one thing that confused even a genius, and that's not all, but another question is _why?_ Why would someone feel a need to do such harm to another person who's done nothing to them? He just didn't get it.

"Get out of my house, you spy!" The sound of glass breaking was heard a second later.

Just what he needed after a day like today. He exhaled and brought his pillow to his face to drown out the noise.

His mind fell back onto the football field... For the first time in his life, he felt suicidal.

**To be continued...**

**I hope I'm doing okay, and that you enjoyed. (If possible. Poor Spencer.) :P**


	8. A Day Of Friendship

**Thank you for reviewing, and I apologize for the slow update. :P**

Spencer's crusty eyes slowly opened to be greeted by the bright Nevada sun. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, he didn't sleep well last night for obvious reasons, he could still hear the laughter echoing through his ears, he could still feel the rope scraping against his pale skin, his pleads for dignity, his begs for mercy.

He crawled out of bed and shuffled to the bathroom, he almost didn't recognize himself in the mirror with such bloodshot eyes and tear stains, he had hints of sunburn thanks to being left there the whole time. He turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face before he decided to finally take a shower.

Of course, he had to get naked in order to do that.

Sighing, he mustered up as much willpower as he could and shed his pajamas before he started the water and once it was at the right temperature, he slid off his boxers and stepped inside to wash off the crud from yesterday.

Finally clean, he grabbed a towel and dried himself, allowing his hair to drip dry since that was healthier for it than scrubbing it a towel or blow drying it. He hurried into his room and pulled on another pair of boxers, a green sock with white four-leaf clovers and a plain gray sock, a pair of khakis, then a white polo shirt. He pulled it over his head and quickly fastened the buttons before slipping on his glasses. He headed over to his mother's room, she was awake and reading, which she's been doing a lot lately whenever she's lucid, and that worried the young genius. He made sure she took her medication before he announced he was going outside, this time, she let him go without any objection.

He sat down on the edge of the sidewalk, he just wanted some fresh air, without being tied to a pole that is. Then it occurred to him that this torment was almost over, graduation was closing in, and he could finally say goodbye to all those teenage jerks. For the first time in a while, he felt a smile forming on his face. Oh hallelujah! He couldn't wait to get out of there. Next to discovering the library, this was probably the best thing that's happened to him since he first came there, he was so excited, he was finally getting away from it all.

It ached him to think that his mother probably won't attend the ceremony, she rarely gets out of bed nowadays, and when she does, she's either having an episode, or she sits on the couch or at the dining table to read some more. She almost never goes outside too, Spencer spoke with her doctor on the matter and he suggested Diana started taking a vitamin D supplement. Spencer sighed, feeling that it's practically another thing to get his mother to take, but just like her meds, she needed to.

He stared out into the street, he half wondered where Jeff might be. Maybe he would go and see if he was home, but just when he was about to get up, he heard a familiar voice call his name.

"Hey, Spencer!"

"Hi, Jeff." He replied.

"Whoa," Jeff said after taking in the younger boy's face. "You feeling okay, dude? You don't look so hot."

Spencer swallowed a growing lump in his throat. As badly as he wanted to talk about it, just let it out, cry on someone's shoulder, even if it was Jeff's... he couldn't. He even lost the courage to tell his own mother about the goalpost incident, there was no way he could tell his only friend, what if Jeff thought differently of him if he did open up to him? He couldn't take that risk of losing the only person in his life so far that he's been able to call a friend. Part of him was telling him that if Jeff really was his friend, he would listen, but another part of him screamed "Don't say anything! It's too embarrassing!"

He sighed and chose to listen to the second half and keep his mouth shut. "Rough night." He answered, and that wasn't entirely a lie.

The shaggy blonde nodded sympathetically.. "I hear ya, it happens to all of us sometimes."

"Mm." Spencer acknowledged.

"So, wanna toss the old pigskin?" Jeff asked.

"Huh?" He honestly did not understand what he just heard.

"It's another way of saying 'wanna play catch with a football'." He explained.

"Oh." Spencer blushed a little, he shuddered slightly at the word 'football', it nearly gave him flashbacks from yesterday. "Sorry, I'm still not good at catching." He admitted, and that too wasn't really a lie, he was terrible at catching, and he didn't want anything to do with footballs right now.

"That's okay." Jeff shrugged. "You got a bike? We could go for a ride."

The genius pondered for a moment. He did have a bike he got for his birthday a couple years ago, he rarely used it. Maybe now would be a good time to start again. "Sure." He replied with a smile.

"Cool, let me go get my helmet and I'll meet you back out here." With that, the older boy jogged back to his house and disappeared inside. Spencer proceeded to the unused garage by his own home and retrieved his dusty red bicycle and blue helmet. He was already feeling better despite what all happened to him the day before. He blew as much of the dust off as he could, the particles spread and irritated his nostrils, he sneezed once and pulled out a handkerchief from his back pocket and relieved his nose of the newly formed nasal mucus. He folded the cloth and put it back before he put on his helmet that surprisingly still fit, then pulled his bike out to the street where Jeff was already waiting. His bike was green and his helmet was orange.

"You ready?" He asked as he hopped on the seat.

"Yeah." Spencer replied. He gulped nervously as he seated himself, it was ironic to think that a person never forgets how to ride a bike once they've learned, and while he knew very well how to ride, it was his lack of coordinance that made riding difficult. Balancing in particular. He couldn't stand the thought of not being capable of riding a bike, even when he knew how to.

Wordlessly, Jeff had already began to ride down the street. Spencer took a deep breath and started working the pedals, he nearly fell over a couple times but he managed to stay up. Keeping his weight shifted and in check, he maneuvered the handle bar at the same time, he soon got the hang of it, only now he had to catch up with Jeff, who was already several feet ahead. He breathed a sigh of relief, he was worried for a minute, but that was gone now.

He pedaled faster just as Jeff slowed down to give him a chance, once they were next to each other, the older boy headed for a small descent.

"Woo-hoo!" He whooped, Spencer took a swallow before he followed him down the hill, he felt a smile form on his face as the welcoming cool breeze flowed by his face, he closed his eyes for a second as he exhaled and relaxed.

"Whoa, Spencer, look out!" His eyes shot open in time to see that he was about to ram into a parked car, he squeezed the brakes and braced himself. He managed to slow down enough by the time ha made contact with the vehicle so that no damage was done either way. Jeff biked over to the distraught boy and settled a hand on his shoulder.

"That was close, you okay, man?"

"Yeah." Spencer gasped. They took a break to allow his nerves to calm down before they eventually reached a local ice cream shop. Jeff suggested they both get a cone, but Spencer declined because he didn't have any money with him. The older boy bought one for each of them anyway.

"It's on the house." The blonde shrugged.

"Thank you." Spencer said before taking a lick off the cold, sugary goodness. Some time passed until he realized how late it'd gotten. He and Jeff rode back to their street and they split off for their houses.

"See ya." Jeff waved.

"Later." Spencer finished. He put his bike and helmet back in the garage before making his way to the front door. He hoped his mother was doing okay since he'd been gone, he cautiously opened the door to see Diana on the couch, reading. He breathed and shut the door, his mom barely acknowledged his presence. He went upstairs to rest his sore legs from biking and read a book or two.

As he sat on his bed, he once again was thinking about how graduation wasn't too far away, he was finally going to be rid of the blues that high school brings, or in this case, what the other students there provided. No more of the drama he's put up with for so long already.

He smiled as he flipped the page of his book. Yep, soon, it will all be over.

**To be continued...**

**I'd like to point out just in case some of you might've thought otherwise, Jeff is not an OC, but he's never physically appeared in the show. He was only mentioned once during Reid's second flashback in "Revelations", so how he may have appeared or behaved is entirely up to our imaginations.**


End file.
